Trial ordered for 2 people involved in chase

The suspects involved in one of last week's dramatic police pursuits on Oahu roadways will have to stand trial for auto theft and drug charges.

The suspects in another chase were to find out this afternoon whether they also will go to trial on similar charges.

Honolulu District Judge Edwin Nacino ordered Kelley Hagar and Malia Waters to stand trial for drug promotion and possession of drug paraphernalia following a preliminary hearing yesterday on the charges. Nacino also ordered Hagar to stand trial for auto theft.

Hagar and Waters were arrested Thursday in downtown Honolulu after they were seen fleeing from a stolen car that sideswiped a sport utility vehicle at Hotel and Bethel streets following an islandwide police chase. The impact knocked the second vehicle on its side.

Inside the stolen car, police found a glass pipe and packets containing methamphetamine and crack cocaine.

William Simon said he was walking along Hotel Street when a dark sedan sped by him going about 60 mph. He identified Hagar as the driver and Waters as the passenger of the vehicle. He said he got a good look at both of them because he wanted to see why they were speeding down Hotel Street, which is open only to city buses.

The chase started on Oahu's North Shore after Hagar and Waters were seen breaking into cars at Ehukai Beach Park. They remain in custody in lieu of $50,000 bail each.

Hagar, 36, has six previous auto theft convictions, two for breaking into vehicles, two for fraudulent use of credit cards, a burglary and an attempted assault.

Another chase ended Dec. 14 when the driver of a stolen van tried to squeeze between two lanes of vehicles stopped at an intersection on Kalanianaole Highway just west of Kalani High School.

Their preliminary hearing started yesterday and is expected to conclude today.

Most of the 13 motorists whose vehicles were damaged when the van tried to squeeze past them testified yesterday.

Patricia Jamieson and Brooke Wong said after police stopped them at Ainakoa Avenue, they looked in their rearview mirrors and saw a van "barreling through" the cars behind them. Both of their vehicles were hit and sustained major damage.

Gregory Quilit was on his motorcycle when he looked in his rearview mirror. He said he saw the van and debris from the other vehicles speeding toward him.

"When I first saw that, I thought, I'm dead," he said.

Quilit said he only had time to jump off his motorcycle to avoid getting hit. He said he felt the van and debris whiz by him, and when everything settled, a door from a car two positions behind him was five feet in front of him.

Masaoka is charged with first-degree attempted murder because police said he tried to run over a police officer with the van. The officer fired at least one shot from her firearm but did not hit anyone.

Masaoka and Ahnee fled the van on foot but were caught nearby. Both remain in custody, unable to post bail. Masaoka's bail is $250,000; Ahnee's is $50,000.